Heavy snowfalls were reported in counties north of London, while the capital itself saw flurries for the first time since Monday when it almost ground to a halt. -- PHOTO: AP
LONDON - FRESH snowstorms plunged parts of Britain back into travel chaos on Friday, after a week which saw the heaviest falls in nearly 20 years paralyse the country.
Some 200 cars were stranded in up to 30 centimetres (one foot) of snow overnight in Devon, southwest England, and their occupants had to be rescued by the army as well as police and others emergency workers.
More snow warning for Britain
LONDON - MORE snow is on the way this weekend, the Met Office warned, after blizzard conditions caused widespread disruption on Friday, especially in the southwest.
Emergency services launched a major operation overnight to rescue drivers who became stranded near Exeter in Devon.
More than 800 schools were closed in the west of the country, where rural areas were virtually cut off from the outside world as minor roads became impassable.
Heavy snowfalls were reported in counties north of London, while the capital itself saw flurries for the first time since Monday when it almost ground to a halt.
The two Severn bridges, linking England to south Wales, were closed for 'safety reasons in the present weather conditions', a spokesman for the Highways Agency said.
Flights were suspended at Bristol airport in southwest England while Luton and Stansted airports north of London also saw disruption. Train services were disrupted notably in Wales and Yorkshire, northern England.
The rare heavy snowfalls - which have lasted for five days across the country - have led to shortages of grit to spread on roads, with some local authorities appealing for help from neighbouring areas.
'Gritting routes will have to be prioritised,' said a county council spokesman in Berkshire, near London.
'The district's network of secondary roads will not be re-gritted until further supplies are obtained, and roadside salt bins will not be replenished,' he added.
The cold snap has killed at least one person this week. A 16-year-old girl died Tuesday after being badly injured in a sledging accident in Yorkshire, nor1thern England.
Two climbers died on Mount Snowdon in Wales on Monday, although it was unclear if their death was due to the snow. The Guardian newspaper reported that two people had been killed in weather-related car accidents. -- AFP
